International Style
Downtowns are sharing strategies on how to revitalize local economies. One expert says by getting a little help from friends around the world, Detroit is poised to star again on the international stage.
Lisa M. Collins's Latest Articles
A Philadelphia Story
The once empty streets of Philly's Central City District now bustle with residents, downtown workers and sidewalk cafes. Phil Levy credits a business improvement district, something Detroit leaders are looking at, too.
Motor City Gold Rush
It reads like something out of an old Western. The first settlers were familiar with the land, but once they struck gold, so to speak, with Detroit development, out-of-state pioneers came in and staked their claims. From Miami, New York, Chicago and Indianapolis, they’ve come to the Motor City with cash to invest and visions of profits as they build condos, lofts and apartments in a market ever ripening for redevelopment.
Can Farming Take Root In Detroit?
With an estimated 40,000 vacant lots, the question is immediate---what to do with it all? Detroit’s sparsely-populated expanses can be viewed as land of endless opportunity or a great burden, expensive for the city to service. As the city revitalizes, the use of open space to create parks, gardens, urban farms and forests could help put the city back on the map.
Last American City
A New York sports writer recently dubbed Detroit, “The last American City.” As in, the last real city, the last gritty city, the last un-gentrified city, the last not-over-developed city left in America.
